Principal-Range 3

Balmoral K-12 Community College is situated in the rural township of Balmoral, located in the Southern Grampians Shire in the Western District of Victoria, 328km west of Melbourne, with Hamilton 70kms to the south and Horsham 75kms to the north. The school buildings and grounds are attractive and well maintained.

The College has good links to the local community and our students and staff are often involved in projects and activities around the town and the Southern Grampians Shire, where our College is located, but also the West Wimmera Shire and Horsham Rural City. Where possible, partnerships between the school and the various service and sporting organisations and committees within the town are created and maintained; this includes the Lions Club, RSL, Balmoral Bush Nursing Centre, Harrow Bush Nurse Centre, Balmoral Men¿s Shed and the Harrow Balmoral Football Netball Club. The School Council members are strong supporters of the College and our improvement efforts.

The township of Balmoral has a population of approximately 200 people. Students are predominantly from farming families, hence the large majority of students travel to school by bus from the surrounding districts. The school is serviced by five school buses, transporting 4-year-old Kinder children up to Year 12 school students. The Student Family Occupations index is 0.3876, which falls in the (low-medium range).

The 2023 enrolment was 83. There is a Kindergarten on site that delivers both 3 and 4 Yr. Old programs, each operating for 15 hours per week. The 2024 Kindergarten enrolment is 18 students.

The Kindergarten has very strong links with the school; it is very much considered an integral part of the K-12 College. The transition program from Kindergarten to Foundation is excellent, with the transition program beginning in Term 2.

Balmoral K-12 Community College aims to meet all School Strategic Plan goals and targets. Meeting these goals will support students to be literate, numerate and engaged learners. Our SSP focus is to: - improve literacy outcomes for all students - improve numeracy outcomes for all students - improve student engagement in learning. The College is committed to strengthen and refine the Professional Learning Community process to inform planning and to evaluate teaching practices. We are focused on literacy and numeracy improvement to ensure that we have a guaranteed and viable curriculum.

In 2024 the Principal is supported by a Lead Teacher, one Learning Specialist, a Business Manager and 20 other full and part-time teaching and Education Support staff. The College has eight Teacher Houses. The properties are provided by the Department to assist rural schools in attracting new teaching staff to the community.

In the kinder and primary school, we offer play-based and bush learning experiences. We are committed to using evidence-based practices and have a structured literacy block embedded in F-2. Our next piece of work is focusing on building this into Years 3 ¿ 10 classes. Specialist subjects in Art, Music, Physical Education are offered throughout the year levels. The school offers VCE, VM and VETiS pathways, or a combined pathway at Senior level to best meet student interests and needs, post-schooling. In 2024 we have three Year 12s and two Year 11s who are studying a range of VCE subjects including Media Studies, Art Making and Exhibiting, Visual Communication, English, Modern History, Physics and Accounting. Senior students also travel to Hamilton complete VET courses in Early Childhood, Agriculture, Game programming and 3D Animation.

The school vision is 'Balmoral K-12 Community College strives for a respectful, nurturing and inspiring learning environment that fosters community and connection to place'. Our College values are Respect, Nurture, Inspire. Students have access to a range of support services and intervention programs. The small number of students at the College allows close attention to being responsive to student needs and interests. The school is committed to implementing the Berry Street Model and Respectful Relationships to ensure that students are feeling safe, grounded, and ready to learn.

Balmoral K-12 Community College is well resourced, and staff feel that they are supported to operate effectively in their roles. Balmoral K-12 Community College considers the safety of children as being of paramount importance. Our school has a zero tolerance of Child abuse. Every person involved in the Balmoral K-12 Community College has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role he/she plays individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people are at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

(a) Vision and values

Demonstrated capacity to create a shared vision, define and gain acceptance of school goals and set and communicate expectations for effective performance.

(b) Teaching and Learning

Demonstrated ability to manage the quality of teaching and create a positive culture of challenge, support and collaboration.

(c) Improvement, Innovation and Change

Demonstrated capacity to produce and implement clear, evidence-based improvement plans and policies and lead innovation and change.

(d) Management

Demonstrated capacity to ensure that the school¿s human, physical and financial resources are efficiently allocated and managed.

(e) Development

Demonstrated capacity to create a professional learning community that is focused on the continuous improvement of teaching and learning, supporting all staff to achieve high standards and commitment to their own learning and wellbeing.

(f) Engagement

Demonstrated capacity to develop positive relationships with students, parents/families and the local community and participate in and contribute to system-level activities.

(g) Community Criterion

Demonstrated ability to foster a strong partnership with parents, the local community and surrounding schools, ensuring a positive culture based on school and family values to nurture the diverse abilities and learning of all students.

The role of the principal is to lead and manage the planning, delivery, evaluation and improvement of the education of all students in a community through the deployment of resources provided by the Department and the school community.

At the same time, the principal, as executive officer of the school council, must ensure that adequate and appropriate advice is provided to the council on educational and other matters, that the decisions of the council are implemented and that adequate support and resources are provided for the conduct of council meetings.

The principal is accountable for the overall management and development of the school within statewide guidelines and Government policies. A clear set of accountabilities, which distinguish their work from other members of the Teaching Service and the education community are set out in detail in the contract of employment.

The core accountabilities of all principals are to:

• ensure the delivery of a comprehensive education program to all students
• be executive officer of the school council.
• establish and manage financial systems in accordance with the Department and school council requirements.
• represent the Department in the school and the local community.
• implement decisions of the school council.
• contribute to system-wide activities, including policy and strategic planning and development.
• manage and integrate the resources available to the school.
• appropriately involve staff, students and the community in the development, implementation and review of school policies, programs and operations.
• report to the Department, school community, parents and students on the achievements of the school and of individual students as appropriate.

Appropriately qualified individuals currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via *******@education.vic.gov.au

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements. This condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.

To be eligible for appointment as a principal a person must either already be a Principal or have met the Victorian Aspiring Principal Assessment (VAPA) requirement as follows:

• For principal positions advertised between 1 August 2021 and 31 December 2021 a person will be required to have registered to undertake the VAPA before being appointed to a principal position.
• For principal positions advertised on or after from 1 January 2022 a person must have completed the VAPA and be provided with a statement of readiness before they can be appointed to a principal position.